Seven footballers we’re told to love but actually hate

Football fans love to argue about players, but there are certain things we can all agree on. We all love David Beckham, for example, and we all hate Diego Costa – apart from Chelsea fans.

We all pretty much hate Chelsea fans, too, though. However, there are certain players that the media tells us we should love, when actually we know better, and we shouldn’t listen to what anyone tells us and just form our own opinions.

Anyway, this is the definitive list of the seven footballers we are told to love, but that we all actually hate.

Mesut Ozil

Ozil's presence in English football is a nuisance. Every time he scores or assists (which is often), the Arsenal Twitter warriors flood the internet with shite memes and jokes about how he could find space in a place with, well, not much space.
When he goes missing in the big games (which is also often), we have to deal with the fallout on ArsenalFanTV.
Please just go away, Mesut.
Source: Getty Images

Paul Scholes

Another player we're told we never appreciated, by pundits and players, alike.
Scholes' ability was there for all to see, but so was his terrible tackling which everyone just seems to laugh off, but would have left other players vilified.
Since retiring, all he's done as a pundit is moan that Manchester United aren't as good as they were when he was there, but has failed to offer his help in any meaningful manner.
The less we hear from him, the better.
Source: Getty Images

Eden Hazard

You just get the impression Hazard can't really be arsed anymore and is just waiting for a phone call from Real Madrid.
There was talk of him entering the leagues of Messi and Ronaldo, which he clearly bought into, and then he decided to stop playing well because he felt he had proved himself. He's turned it back on again recently, which just makes him even more frustrating since its clear he only plays football for himself.
Source: Getty Images

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan's arrogance has gone from being endearing to incredibly annoying.
The Swede's determination to build the Zlatan brand overshadows the fact that he's a very lazy footballer, who appeared to be at the peak of his powers when playing in a league where Giroud was once the top scorer.
Now he's moved to England, it's obvious he's nothing more than the Swedish Andy Carroll.
Perhaps we're still bitter about that overhead kick.
Source: Getty Images

Phillipe Coutinho

The media's new darling due to his performances since he joined the Reds, but for no reason at all.
He's horribly inconsistent and only turns up for about a month season, and even made the 14/15 Team of the Year after scoring a whopping five goals, helping Liverpool finish in the lofty heights of 6th place.
We're not buying what Phillipe's selling.
Source: Getty Images

Andreas Iniesta

All we hear about Insiesta is how underrated he is.
The bloke is the captain of one of the best teams in the world, and was Spain's best player when they dominated the international stage. He scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup Final for god's sake. But no, we don't know how good he is. Piss off.
Also, a bloke that average-looking has no right to be that good at football.
Source: Getty Images

Steven Gerrard

Well loved, but clearly a bit of a prick. Not as loyal as he appears, as he tried to force a move to Chelsea just weeks after winning the Champions League, only for his mind to be changed after receiving death threats (stay classy, Liverpool).
Stevie Me's also got some serious anger issues, shown by the time he beat the crap out of someone in a bar in 2009, and when he got sent-off for a stamp in his final match against United just seconds after coming on. Hopefully he's taken up yoga in California.